Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Upper Dublin seeks two 9‑passenger vans, new vendor agreement to address driver shortage and bring runs back in-house
Summary
The finance committee approved forwarding a plan to purchase two nine-passenger vans and to add an alternate outsourced vendor (FirstAlt) to the district’s roster; district staff said the vans cost $123,000 and could return 12 outsourced runs to in‑house service, saving an estimated $160,000 annually.
The Upper Dublin School District Finance Committee on Sept. 17 moved to forward to a special legislative meeting a transportation package that includes purchasing two nine‑passenger vans and executing a new contract with an alternate outsourced provider for specialized runs.
Director of Transportation Jeff Tyler told the committee the district faces a nationwide driver shortage and has launched an in‑house training program, “Cardinal U,” to recruit and certify new drivers. “The number 1 issue facing the transportation department…is staffing,” Tyler said. He said the vans will give the district immediate flexibility because nine‑passenger vans do not require a commercial driver’s license, allowing trainees and non‑CDL staff to operate runs while they complete CDL training.
Tyler said the district plans to use the vans to bring 12 outsourced runs back in‑house, producing estimated annual savings of about $160,000. The two vans’ purchase price was cited as $123,000; staff said the cost is already budgeted because the district had planned funds for outsourcing. Committee members emphasized tracking outcomes; Tyler said operations staff are already compiling performance metrics, and the district will report cost and service impacts following implementation.
In a related action, staff recommended adding FirstAlt (an alternate contractor focused on vans and specialized student services) to the district’s pool of providers to serve as a backup to the district’s existing vendor. The draft agreement had been reviewed by the district solicitor and chief financial officer; staff said comments from the solicitor had been accepted by the vendor and that the final draft would be executed pending final sign‑off.
Why it matters: committee members cited recruiting and retention as the top reasons for approving the plan. Tyler said the vans will allow trainees to gain hours and help the district avoid losing new hires during a 60‑day training period. Bringing runs back in‑house also addresses parent concerns about outsourcing quality on special‑services and out‑of‑district routes.
The committee voted to forward the van purchase and the FirstAlt agreement to a special legislative meeting that same evening for board action.
